Masonic Notes And Queries.

this to be the case . At this period and in this condition he cannot , nor would he of choice , remain . The Degree of Old Age comes , and he receives it . Here , with all the advantages of contemplative reflection and experience , he still cannot compass the mysteries of Infinity . Into tbe three degrees of life he has been successively admitted , and in none of them has he found perfection . His only

remaining hope for it is beyond the grave . So imperfect has he found human life that he does not fear or regret the leaving of it . " Ex . Ex . TEE LODGE . The folloAving poem Avas writben in 1771 . It is rather a description of what a lodge should be than what it

always is ; and yet the lodge that is not precisely , iu every point , what is here described , is recreant to its trust : — " When to the Lodge we go , that happy place , There faithful friendship smiles in every face ; What though our joys are hid from public vieAV , They on reflection leaseand must be true .

p , The Lodge the social virtues fondly love—There wisdom ' s rule we trace , and so improve ; There we , in moral architecture skilled , Dungeons for vice , for virtue temples build ; While scepbered Reason , from her steady throne , Well pleased , surveys us all , and makes us one . " Ex . Ex .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

' The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed hy Correspondents . A FEW UNPOPULAR THINGS . 10 TIIS EDITOE Or TUB FHBElTASOlfS' JUGAZIIfB XHD 1 US 0 KIC HIHR 0 B . DEAR SIB AND BROTHER , —I am requested by a few provincial brethren to inquire if you would enlighten us

as to the " unpopular" opinions advocated at the last Grand Conclave by Sir Knts . Ridgway and Binckes ? They appear , very foolishly perhaps to you in London , to imagine that what might be unpopular to an interested clique within walking distance of London , who parted , Esau-like , with their birthright for a mess of pottage , would be hihly popular to some thirty encampments in

g our immediate district . They appear , also , to have a still more ridiculous notion , viz ., that as far as their lodges , chapters , and encampments are concerned , there is no attempt made in London for their representation ; and that these three general assemblies—none of which had any existence before 1717 , and were not Avanted when every lodge had

power over their own degrees up to nejplus ultra ; the only authority possessed by the body at York , being that accorded to its antiquity as the parent of our Order—are now merely used as a means of acquiring money , in some cases even to be turned against themselves , as recently exemplified in the conduct of an executive officer evidently deficient of even the most ordinary common sense .

As to their chivalricor Templar Order , they say , Why are their encampments to deprived of their Heredom and Priestly degrees ? unless this , too , is to gain money , which , however , in this case passes to a rival body . Make the admission as high or as stringent as you choose , but let there be no further charge when once brethren are admitted ; they are then entitled to preferment

according to merit . Lastly , they cannot see why all English Masonry is to be swallowed up by Avhat both ancient German and ancient English Masonry pronounced , an illegitimate body early last century . So long as High Grade Masonry does not interfere with Blue Masonry , what right has the latter to interfere with the former ? Will brethren either explain some of these things or

Correspondence.

form an association to reform them ? for there are hundreds of good men and true in the provinces , who are panting for their relief from the tomfooleries introduced into Blue , Arch , and Knightly degrees some years ago . I remain , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , A YOUNG PROVINCIAL BROTHER , NO . 2 . [ We have handed your note to our reporter ,

Avhoreplies " that he never included Sir Knt . Binckes in the matter ; " what he wrote Avas , that Sir Knt . Ridgway made " some very uncalled-for and unpopular statements , about Templary . " Those Avould lead to no good if reproduced here . They Avere not for the benefit of the Order in general , or any Sir Knt . in particular , but were neither more nor less than an offensive onslaught on the Templars who had taken a prominent action in erecting ' the New Hall . —ED . F . M . M . j

Chinese Lodges.

CHINESE LODGES .

We are requested to publish the following , Avhich has already appeared in the China Herald : — PHILIP H . UNDERWOOD , ESQ ., "W . M . Northern Lodge of China . SHANGHAI , 4 < ft March , 1863 . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER—I venture to address you on a

, subject which I have often thought of , since I became aware that the brethren of Shanghai had succeeded in securing a permanent building for a lodge , and which I think is one of no small importance to the fraternity , involving as it does the respectability of the institution iu the eyes of the Chinese . I refer tothe choice of a suitable Chiuese name for the Lodge .

Every public building and private establishment in the place has a designation of some kind , which is found not only useful but indispensable to meet the necessities of business and general intercourse . Most of these names are Avhat the Chinese call " lucky , " having been given hy compradores or servants interested in the respectability and " good-look-see" of their

employers . A few however have not been so happily selected , the sound of the foreign name having simply been represented by native characters , and the Chinese asked to do this , having , by a fatuity peculiar to the race , chosen words of not the most appropriate or agreeable meetings . Instances exist Avhere the

precaution of giving a name to a house has not taken place , and in such , the Chinese , who have had occasion to refer to the place , have dubbed it with some designation of their own , probably derived from some notable or ridiculous peculiarity , either of the establishment ov its owners . In the case of the lodge the natives at present know it , I

believe , by the name that the lihrary has ; hut I have not the slightest doubt that ere long the mysterious character of the ceremonials conducted within it will reach their inquisitive eyes and ears , and their diseased imaginations will infallibly hit upon a solution of the mystery by no means complimentary to the fraternity , and the lodge will be named accordingly . You will '

at once see how detrimental this result may prove to the name of llasonry in this port , and even beyond it , more especially if you call to mind the fact that to a Chinese everything that is vile and horrible is associated Avith the very idea of a secret society . If I have carried you with me thus far , the next question is what the lodge had better be called . On this head I crave your

patient perusal of the following remarks . Mencius , who , as you know , AA- . IS a Chinese sage of ancient days , happened curiously enough in the course of his teachings totouch on the subject of the compass and square , and to demonstrate therefrom to his disciples , that , as those instruments Avere the origin of the circle and the square , so the good man was the